Topic: Stupid theory?

A teacher of mine today said: "Third-party canidates are there for taking away votes from the democrats"

Is there any truth to this?

November 1st, 2004

implicature

teachers are cynical: READ: those who can...do those who cannot...teach

November 1st, 2004

RnderSafe

Third party candidates can take potential votes (split the vote) for both Republicans and Democrats.

--

November 1st, 2004

Duty Honor Country

Ask that teacher to explain Ross Perot's roll in the 92 election. If he never ran, Bush SR would have been elected instead of Clinton.

November 1st, 2004

Airborne Eagle

Not true.

The Constitution Party takes votes from Republicans. The Green Party takes votes from Dems.

Libertarian Party takes votes from both, as does the Reform Party.

November 1st, 2004

godofthunder9010

Quote:

Originally Posted by RnderSafe

Third party candidates can take potential votes (split the vote) for both Republicans and Democrats.

To expand on that thought: Ross Perot almost definitely lost the election for George Bush Sr. in 1992. Ralph Nader probably took a victory away from Al Gore. Both of the big 2 parties stand to lose from a good performance on the part of a third party candidate. Depends entirely on what sort of third party candidate we're talking about.

Be that as it may, our country is an odditiy amongst representative democratic governments in the world. Only two parties parties dominate it all. Everyone else I can think of have 3 or more very strong parties. I for one would favor seeing a viable strong third party rise. The problem is, everytime one has, their causes are rapidly adopted by the Republican and Democratic Parties, and they disappear very quickly.

November 1st, 2004

Redneck

In reality, none of these parties actually "take" votes from any of the others, as those votes do not belong to the parties but to the voters. If someone votes for Nader instead of Kerry or Senator Snuffy instead of Bush, it means (or should mean) that they agree more with that candidate than the Democratic or Republican one.

November 2nd, 2004

RnderSafe

Yes, but unfortunately, at this time, it does nothing to vote for a third party candidate except to help/hurt the Democrat/Republican candidates. Essentially, it is a wasted vote for the election, but well spent if one is voting by their convictions. Perhaps someday that will change.

November 2nd, 2004

LeatherNeckRVA

yea I may not agree with most of nader's opinions I think it's important that his voice is heard and he should not be relegated to a joke by the democrats or an underhanded tactic by the republicans.

November 2nd, 2004

Mark Conley

i do not agree that an independant or a third party voter really does anything at all in a presidential election..as the popular vote in a state is actually a tally system to alert the electors, appointed by the state governers, which way to cast their electoral college votes for the president.

as long as states define or direct how their electors view and then cast their votes..its a mute point. when it comes in play is when a idependant party takes a way enough of one or the others popular vote..to enable one or the other..or in some rare cases the idependant runner..is when the fun really begins.